


Yellowed

by kaige68



Series: Bright Lights [5]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Community: 1_million_words, Gift Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-27
Updated: 2014-02-27
Packaged: 2018-01-14 00:06:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1245361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaige68/pseuds/kaige68
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>Long fingers moved aside to reveal a teddy bear.</em>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Yellowed

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FairyNiamh](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FairyNiamh/gifts).



> This was written for the wonderful [](http://fairyniamh.livejournal.com/profile)[**fairyniamh**](http://fairyniamh.livejournal.com/) on the occasion of his late birthday. I hope very much you enjoy this, sad as it may be :(. HAPPY DAY! This could take place in the [Bright Lights](http://kaige68.livejournal.com/252678.html)-verse but could stand alone.
> 
> This has not been beta read.

Derek watched him from the doorway. He crossed his arms, waiting, but intrigued. He’d let himself into the Stilinski home (Derek would have knocked if the Sheriff had been home), but he wasn’t quiet about it. Stiles was apparently so engrossed, or lost in his own mind, that he hadn’t noticed Derek’s arrival.

Stiles sat on his bed, staring into his hands. Not moving, not talking, and not twitching. It was eerily calm, for Stiles, anyway.

Derek stepped forward with a “Hey?”

Looking up, Stiles gave him a weak smile. “Hey.”

Sitting down next to Stiles on the bed, Derek nudged him with his shoulder. “What’s this?” He nodded toward the thing that was practically engulfed by Stiles’ hands.

Long fingers moved aside to reveal a teddy bear. It wore a yellow sweater that read _I love Mom_. Derek felt his heart clench a bit as he gently took the toy.

“It was her birthday yesterday.” Stiles seemed to shrink more into himself. “I didn’t even remember until I got home last night. Dad had bought yellow lilies, and…”

Derek smoothed his fingertips over the yarn, noting it was almost exactly the same shade as the flowers he had passed downstairs. “I think she’d rather have you smile when you see lilies and think of her than she would have you feel bad that you didn’t remember a birthday she wasn’t here to celebrate until the end of the day.”

Stiles sighed. Derek could feel it in his own bones.

“She would, you’re right, and I know that. I just… Guess I’m still…” He stalled out.

Derek nudged him again. “You miss her, and it feels more right to feel guilty that you forgot than it does to feel mad that she’s gone.” He looked at the bear again, gestured with it. “You dug this out and slept with it last night?”

“I like to pretend that I can still smell her on it.” Stiles’ eyes quickly jerked up to meet Derek’s. “And don’t disabuse my beliefs. It’s all I have of her, man. “ He looked away again, stared hard at the bear. “I gave it to her the Mother’s Day before she got sick. When she went in the hospital it and her perfume were the only things she asked Dad to bring her.” His voice choked. “She hated the way the hospital smelled.

Derek put the bear to his nose, breathed in just a little. “Shalimar.”

Tears sprang into Stiles’ eyes, and he nudged back at Derek’s shoulder. “Thank you.”


End file.
